COLUMBUS, OHIO — The older players on the Gophers hockey team have watched the freshmen score a lot of goals lately.
On Saturday, their turn came. Two seniors found the net — and one of the freshmen again, twice — and that made for a potent combo. No. 7 Minnesota stomped on No. 8 Ohio State 5-1 on Saturday to sweep the series and tie the Buckeyes for first place, pending the outcome of Michigan's game.
"This is a real good hockey team," Gophers coach Bob Motzko said of Ohio State on KFAN radio before the second game. "They are for sure an NCAA hockey team. We will get their 'A' game. … We will get after it."
They sure did. The Gophers improved to 6-1-1 at Valley City Arena since Motzko became their head coach.
Minnesota (19-11, 14-6 Big Ten), which won the opener 3-2 on goals by three freshman, and the Buckeyes (21-9-2, 13-7-2) both have 43 points, when points from overtime games and shootouts are counted.
Senior Blake McLaughlin put the Gophers ahead 1-0 at 45 seconds on his 11th goal of the season.
Ohio State tied it when Tate Singleton scored in the 16th minute. But Minnesota had a quick response. Actually, responses. Sophomore Mason Nevers made it 2-1 Gophers on a power play at 18:31 and 43 seconds later captain Sammy Walker, another senior, got his 12th goal.
Rhett Pitlick, the one five freshman forward who has not been on the score sheet often, got his second goal of the season at 3:54 of the second, and scored midway through the third, too. Pitlick has three goals and four assists, including two Friday, in his past four games.
